Reds make late push but drop rubber game

MILWAUKEE — Jimmy Nelson settled in nicely following a shaky start against the Reds as the top of the Brewers lineup produced enough offense to give Milwaukee a 5-4 win on Sunday at Miller Park.

Cincinnati jumped out to a 2-1 lead as Nelson retired only one of the first seven batters he faced. But the Brewers right-hander sat down 17 of his final 21 hitters, finishing with 7 1/3 innings of two-run ball and five strikeouts to pick up the win. Milwaukee’s 1-2-3 hitters — Jonathan Villar, Hernan Perez and Jonathan Lucroy — went 5-for-7 with three walks and drove in all five of the team’s runs

A day after snapping an 11-game losing streak, the Reds lost behind starter Brandon Finnegan. The left-hander pitched into the seventh inning and allowed four runs on six hits and four walks.

Blaine Boyer surrendered his first run in 12 appearances, but he struck out Jordan Pacheco to earn his fourth career save.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDTake what you can: Villar’s trademark aggressive baserunning helped produce the first run of the game on Sunday afternoon. In the first inning, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips made a running …

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